Informed Use of Motion Synthesis Methods

In virtual human (VH) applications, and in particular, games, motions with different functions are to be synthesized, such as communicative and manipulative hand gestures, locomotion, expression of emotions or identity of the character. In the bodily behavior, the primary motions define the function, while the more subtle secondary motions contribute to the realism and variability. From a technological point of view, there are different methods at our disposal for motion synthesis: motion capture and retargeting, procedural kinematic animation, force-driven dynamical simulation, or the application of Perlin noise. Which method to use for generating primary and secondary motions, and how to gather the information needed to define them? In this paper we elaborate on informed usage, in its two meanings. First we discuss, based on our own ongoing work, how motion capture data can be used to identify joints involved in primary and secondary motions, and to provide basis for the specification of essential parameters for motion synthesis methods used to synthesize primary and secondary motion. Then we explore the possibility of using different methods for primary and secondary motion in parallel in such a way, that one methods informs the other. We introduce our mixed usage of kinematic an dynamic control of different body parts to animate a character in real-time. Finally we discuss motion Turing test as a methodology for evaluation of mixed motion paradigms.